


The Observatory

by supershadsy



Series: Limit Breaker [2]
Category: Super Smash Brothers
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 17:02:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6017677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supershadsy/pseuds/supershadsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cloud gets a mysterious message on Valentine's day. I wonder who it could be from?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Observatory

**Author's Note:**

> Who asked for more Clink? No one? Me? All right! Happy Valentine's day!

“Well, this is...festive,” Cloud commented as he entered the main hall that morning. The entire dining room and foyer was covered in red and pink streamers, as well as paper hearts hanging from strings on the ceiling. He turned to Link, in a red version of his tunic, who was gawking cheerfully at the sights. “What’s this all about?”

_ “Today is Valentine’s day,”  _ he signed.  _ “It’s a romantic holiday.”  _

“Huh,” he mumbled, pulling at his sweater. “Is this why you said I should wear the red uniform today?” 

Link nodded enthusiastically. In fact, most of the fighters he could see in the foyer were in a red variation of their usual garb, milling around in varying degrees of cheer.  _ Romantic, huh… _ His hand twitched at his side, as Link looked at him expectantly. “Wh-what?” Cloud said.

Link giggled behind his hand and slapped him on the back. “Cut it out--!” he complained, despite his ears beginning to grow hot. “If you think I’m into this, you’re sorely mistaken…”

This didn’t deter him, as he faced him fully.  _ “Cheer up!”  _ he signed, ending the sentence with a poke to his nose.  _ “Just stay on the battlefield if it bugs you that much.” _

Cloud crossed his arms, wrinkling his nose. “Yeah, yeah,” he scoffed. “What’re your plans, then?”

_ “Solo drills,”  _ Link signed.  _ “We can catch up later.”  _

He nodded.  _ So, you’re not going to drag me into something romantic?  _ he found himself thinking wistfully.  _ It’d draw too much attention, anyway, but… _

_...this would be the time to do it.  _

Link pulled him close by the arm, pressing his chest against his shoulder. “Do your best today,” he whispered into his ear. As his hands were cupped, he snuck a small kiss to the nape of his neck, secret only to him.

Cloud swallowed hard. “Y-yeah. You too,” he replied, heart beating so hard he could barely tell if he had spoken aloud.

He grinned and waved before heading out toward the foyer, through the crowd and out of sight. Now that Cloud was alone, he huffed and meandered over to the cafeteria, where he grabbed an apple to chew on.  _ I’ve got solo drills today, too,  _ he thought to himself.  _ I need to get better on stages that are over those bottomless pits, so I picked out a bunch of those-- _

“Cloud? Has anyone seen Cloud?”

He spun back toward the foyer, where a very pink Pit was fluttering around, wearing a red mailbag around his shoulder. Everything from his robes to his wings was a flamboyant shade of magenta. “Over here,” Cloud called, meeting him halfway. “You’re, er, very…”

“Yeah, I  _ know,”  _ Pit groaned. “Lady Palutena thought it’d be ‘so cute’ if we were little cupids…”

“‘We’?” 

“Oh, yeah. Pittoo got roped in, too.” He jerked a thumb behind him, and spotted Dark Pit, in all red garb, wearing a similar messenger bag and looking even less impressed than his lighter counterpart, if that were possible. Pit, in the meantime, pulled out a few papers out from the bag. “You got a couple Valentine’s though!”

“For me?” Cloud mused. Taking them from Pit’s hand, it wasn’t very much--a red paper heart decorated in pink hearts with a wrapped candy taped to it, and a simple white envelope with only his name on the outside in red pen. 

“One of them is from Peach, she made one for everyone,” Pit said. “The other one’s the real deal, though. Maybe you’ve got a secret admirer!”

“That's funny,” he sighed, exasperated. _Who would..._ “Thanks.”

“No problem!” Pit replied cheerfully, then held out the strap of the messenger bag. “Say, do you want to do a few of these for me--”

“No,” Cloud interrupted immediately, and turned his back to him. 

Pit sighed loudly. “Fine…”

As soon as he left, Cloud opened the white envelope, curiosity surging through him. Inside was a single, small piece of paper with red writing:

_ “Meet me at the observatory at 7 PM tonight.” _

Nothing more, nothing less. Cloud flipped it over to inspect it, but it was crisp and blank on the other side.  _ The observatory? I’ve never heard of it. I can’t recognize the handwriting either...it doesn’t look like Link’s. So, who could it be? _

_ Who would want to meet with me in private? For something "romantic"?  _

He was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He jumped, and found himself toe to toe with Samus Aran, complete in her full suit, sans helmet. “If you have solos, they’re about to start,” she said. Before Cloud could tuck the note away, she caught sight of it with her superior stature. “Did you get a Valentine?”

“I guess,” he replied. “Some kind of message to meet up somewhere…”

“Is it from Link?” she said, putting on her helmet. 

“Why do you say that?” Cloud said, a little more defensively than he meant to. “And I don’t think so. The handwriting is different…”

She shook her head and put a hand on his head, shoving him a little. “You are really something else,” she sighed. “Come on, lover boy. Let’s go.”

“Don’t call me that--!” Cloud insisted, despite his pink cheeks, but followed her anyway. 

* * *

Despite most dorms having their own bathrooms and showers, the Smash house did have a large public locker room that could be portaled to directly from stages. It included showers, a sauna, and two luxurious private bathrooms, complete with marble tile and tubs the size of a small pool. And after hours of rigorous training, Cloud could not find it in himself to trudge back to the dorm dripping in sweat, so into the shower rooms he went. 

Rinsing his hair, his mind continued to drift to the note he had received earlier in the day.  _ Who in the world could have sent it?  _ he thought, wrapping a towel around his waist and walking into the sauna. It was thankfully empty, and he took a set at the far corner, letting the steam soak into his pores.  _ If it wasn’t Link, than who? Probably not Lucina, despite her eagerness to befriend me, she’s dating Samus. Peach sent her own Valentine. Corrin? I don’t think I even saw her this morning...one of the other sword fighters? _

He closed his eyes, drowsiness taking hold of him.  _ I wish it were Link. Then, this would have been easier, and make more sense. Especially after he was teasing me so much this morning.  _ He smirked to himself.  _ I really...don’t mind it. It’s cute.  _

_ Damn, here I am, thinking about whether he’s done anything for me, when I haven’t done anything for him. What do you even get for Valentine’s day? Flowers? He might like flowers, he likes spending time in the public garden a lot… _

__ _ Just a night with me and him would be enough… _

A tap under his chin, jerking his head up, startled him, and he blinked to see Marth flipping his hair above him. “Look alive, Cloud,” he said, taking a seat near him. “You’re all done for the day?”

“Yeah,” he replied, sitting up a little straighter. “You too?”

Marth nodded, his posture immaculate. “Usually I train until sundown, but I am taking Princess Peach to the gazebo for a date,” he said. Every word he spoke was enunciated clearly and carefully. “What about you? Do you have any Valentine’s plans?”

“Well…” he started.  _ Maybe he would know.  _ “I got a note saying for me to meet someone at the observatory.”

“Ah--!” Marth replied. “Who was it from?”

“I don’t know. It wasn’t signed.” Cloud scratched at his neck. “Hell, I don’t even know where the observatory is.”

“Hmm,” he mused, raising his hand to his chin. “Well, I can’t say I’ve heard anything about that. Perhaps you have a secret admirer?”

“Doubt it.”  _ I already have a...less than secret one.  _ Link’s smiling face flashed into his mind, and he bit his lip.

“Well, from what I’ve observed,” Marth said, an eyebrow raised in amusement. “Link seems to be rather fond of you. I hardly see the two of you apart.”

“We’re roommates,” Cloud insisted.  _ Has everyone caught on? I thought we were keeping things low-key.  _ “B-besides, I don’t th-think it’s from him. The hand-writing’s not the same.” He bit his tongue, cursing at it for fumbling.

Marth nodded slowly. “I wonder if that’s what you want,” he mused. “As for the observatory, I have not been there myself. I suggest you ask Rosalina, as she is its caretaker.”

“Th-thanks,” Cloud mumbled, standing up sharply and holding tight onto his towel.  _ Ugh, wipe that smug look off your face!  _ He rushed to his locker and quickly changed back into his uniform, face hot and fuming.  _ The worst part is… _

_...you’re probably right.  _

* * *

“The observatory?” Rosalina said, her voice deep and smooth. “Take the stairs on the west side all the way until you reach the top, and it’s the center door.” She brushed her long bangs out of her face momentarily. “Why do you ask?”

_ I'm getting really tired of explaining this.  _ “I’m meeting someone there,” he replied. 

“A date?” she probed, tapping her wand against her crossed arms. 

_ Gods.  _ “I don’t know yet.”

“It’s better than trying to get the gazebo, or so I’ve heard,” she commented, gazing out the foyer window. “Everyone says that Marth and Peach end up out there most of the night, and it ruins anyone else’s plans.”

“Shame,” Cloud dismissed. His eyes fell on the large clock hanging on the wall--6:49.  _ I’ve got to get going.  _ “But, thanks.”

“Have fun on your date,” she replied coolly, and glided off toward the other side of the foyer. 

_ Date, sure, whatever,  _ he thought, adrenaline coursing through him as he walked to the stairs, clearly marked with a “W” at the entryway. Looking up through the spiral, he could see it go on for flights and flights.  _ All of this, and no elevator?  _ He grit his teeth and began climbing, pacing as fast as he could without fatiguing himself.  _ All this to satisfy my curiosity.  _

_ (but what if it’s Link) _

_ It wasn’t...his handwriting, though. I want it to be him. I should’ve caught up with him after I got of the sauna, but I couldn’t see him in the foyer.  _

_ (what if he’s off with someone else) _

He shook his head to himself.  _ I don’t...think so.  _

_ (what if he’s off with Zelda) _

_ He wouldn’t be, not for this. I don’t think.  _ Doubt echoed in his mind like a drum, beating along with the rhythm of his feet.  _ He won’t even tell me what happened between the two of them, and neither will she. Besides, after _

_ (chests touching, kisses against my neck) _

_ what’s already happened _

_ (“Can I sleep with you tonight?”) _

_ I...really doubt it. _

“Whoever you are,” he huffed, legs getting heavier with each stair he climbed. “I hope this is worth it.”

At last, he mounted the last stair, and was greeted with a curved wall, and a set of three doors.  _ The middle one, right?  _ It was the only one unmarked; the other two had “1001” and “1002” labeled on them respectively. His hand shook as he held it over the doorknob, trembling both with fatigue and anticipation, but he took a deep breath and pushed it open. 

The first thing he noticed about the observatory was the enormous, rounded glass ceiling, opening up the room to the dark night sky above. It glittered with stars and a bright half moon, shining white light on the rest of the room. There was a telescope in the center, while the walls were lined with shelves of books of varying sizes. Maps were scattered around on the floor and the tables, and in the center of one was a dark blue globe, dotted with stars. A worn couch was near the back, facing the wall of windows that stretched from the floor upwards. Cloud marveled at the cozy space, careful not to step on any papers that were scattered on the floor.  _ This is beautiful,  _ he thought, staring up into the sky, patterns of stars flickering down at him.  _ But there’s no one here… _

The door creaked behind him, and he jumped back. “Wh-who’s there?” he said, heart pounding.

Link stood in the doorway, panting, and waved to him. “O-oh, it’s you,” Cloud sighed, relieved. “Did Rosalina tell you I was up here? I got a note earlier today…”

Link giggled as he shut the door behind him, making his way over to him. “Who do you think sent you the note?” he said quietly, winking at him.

“So it  _ was  _ you?” he exclaimed, eyes wide with surprise. “But...but it--”

“Zelda wrote it for me,” he whispered, now shoulder to shoulder with him, then resorted to sign language.  _ “You’re easy to fool.” _

“I am not,” he pouted. “Y-you know, I had a feeling it was you, anyway. I don’t know anyone else who would send me a note like that.”

While he spoke, Link gently curled his hand together with Cloud’s, lacing their fingers.  _ Whenever he does that, I completely lose my train of thought,  _ he thought, the warmth from Link’s hand flooding up through his arm to the the rest of his body.  _ Am I ever going to get over this?  _

_ Do I even want to… _

Link looked up at the dark sky, glittering gentle white light onto his face. “It’s pretty, isn’t it?” he said.

“Yeah,” Cloud replied. “It’s...really nice.”

Link leaned heavily against Cloud’s side, nuzzling his head into his shoulder.  _ Why would I have wanted it to be anyone else?  _ He returned it, tilting his own head on top of his.  _ There’s no one else in this place who I care about or trust more _

_ than you. _

Link tugged on Cloud’s hand and guided him over to the worn couch, where they immediately sat and cuddled into each other, Cloud settled against Link’s chest. “The stars look the same here,” he murmured. “But...they’re different, aren’t they?” 

He shrugged first, then nodded. “There are maps, if you want to look,” Link suggested quietly.

“No,” he replied. “I just want...to be here. To look.”

Link chuckled, so quietly it could barely be heard, but Cloud could feel it rumble in his chest. He sat up a bit, so he was more side by side with him, so he could see his face along with the stars.  _ I don’t know what I want to look at more.  _ Cloud watched him, deep blue eyes wandering the skyscape, sparkling in their own right. He only realized he was staring when they met his, giving him a kind, soft look that made his mouth dry.  _ Link… _

“Didn’t you say you weren’t into this?” he teased, a smile tracing his lips.

“W-well,” Cloud stammered. “If it’s...if it’s with you, that’s...that’s different…”  _ Nice cover, Cloud.  _

Link chuckled at him, running a hand over his cheek before clasping his hand again. “Happy Valentine’s day, Cloud,” he murmured, his lips so close to his own that he could almost touch the words he spoke. 

“Mm,” was all he could think to reply, before he closed the gap between them, and kissed him softly on the mouth. Link smiled into his lips and pushed himself into it further, wrapping his free hand around his waist.  _ I’m so glad you found me,  _ Cloud thought, thumb rubbing against the leather of Link’s glove.  _ Out of everyone else, to have someone this bright, this kind, _

_ so close. _

_ Link. _

He melted into the kiss, and everything faded around him except for Link, and the flickering twinkle of the stars.


End file.
